Chatting with Andrea & Brian

Continuing with my series on "A Few of My Favorite Things"...Here are my favorite ways to kick off my day! 

That may seem like a lot to do before you head out the door, but it takes less than 5 minutes to take the supplements and you could always pre-load them into a weekly pill box for even greater convenience. Also, nothing says you need to (or should) do everything I do. Take the suggestions that you think would work for you and leave the rest behind. And...

Last week, I began a new series in my weekly newsletter - " A Few of My Favorite Things." I thought it would be great to also share it on my blog. In this series, I'll be sharing favorite tips, my go-to support for specific body systems, favorite food and DIY recipes, diffuser blends, and morning / daytime / evening favorites.  While everyone's favorites vary, my hope in sharing mine is to help you find some fun, new ways to use your oils, discover some solutions and hacks to everyday challenges, and learn of new ways to work toward your personal health and wellness goals for you and your family.

Favorite Tips: Peppermint
Ever get the hiccups? It's rare for me, but when I do get them, they're no joke! You're going to think this is crazy, but the next time you have hiccups, apply Peppermint to your wrists. I can't tell you why or how it works, but you'll find the support it offers to your circulatory system helps to alleviate the discomfort of hiccups. Such a cool, little life hack! ;) 

With the holidays nearly upon us, you'll find Peppermint Vitality to be your go-to in adding flavor to your culinary delights. Cocoa, coffee, tea...just a drop will add a wonderful minty twist to your cold weather favorites! Add 6-10 drops to your favorite brownie mix or fudge recipe and you have a gift-giving worthy treat to share with neighbors and friends!

There's nothing like kicking off the day with Peppermint & Lemon in the diffuser! It's my favorite "perk me up" blend!

What I love is that I can make sure to never run out of my daily must-haves because I include them in my monthly Essential Rewards order and they're delivered right to my door. Plus, I earn points on every order that I can redeem for free product, so it's like getting a rebate with each ER order that's placed.  With a free oil at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, I'm getting even more for my money. That's stretched even further with having enrolled for YL Go / YL Go+ (the free shipping subscription). That makes this budget-conscious girl HAPPY!!! If you haven't enrolled in ER yet, let's chat and see if it's right for you!

YL's Premium Starter Kit is the only thing Young Living offers at 50% off. You get over $300 worth of product, including 11 oils, a diffuser, a sample of Thieves Household Cleaner, 2 Ningxia Red packets, sample bottles and more, plus a wholesale membership that gives you 24% off of any future orders you place.

The fire is roaring, the stars are shining, and cozy blankets are ready for cuddling—it’s the right time to fall in love!

Starting at 8 a.m., MT, Tuesday, October 23 until 11:59 p.m., MT, on Thursday, October 25, we’re celebrating fall with 20% off Young Living’s five best-selling essential oils! (Scroll down for all the details!) 

15 ml Lavender, 15 ml Peppermint, 15 ml Thieves, 15 ml Cedarwood, and 5 ml Valor are all 20% off and there are NO LIMITS!!! Members KNOW how great these oils are and everyone is scrambling to stock up on these "don't run out of them" oils!!!

Are you unfamiliar with the awesomeness of Lavender, Thieves, Peppermint, Cedarwood, Valor? Let me share WHY these are member favorite oils and give you some tips for using them!

Lavender - the Swiss Army knife of essential oils...if in doubt, use Lavender! Calming, relaxing, promoting of sweet sleep, great for your skin, supportive of the respiratory system and turned to often for seasonal upper respiratory system support, this is a basic oil that has countless uses! Favorite tips? Add a drop or two of Lavender (or a drop each of Lavender and Cedarwood) to your new bottle of mascara to help promote healthy, beautiful lashes. Rub a drop or two between your palms at bedtime, then run your hands over your pillowcase. Sweet dreams!

Thieves - Hands down the most turned to oil for immune system support! Diffuse it with Raven for added upper respiratory support or pair it with Purification instead to help support overall health and wellness.  Favorite tips? A drop or two Thieves Vitality is wonderful added to tea and can be used to create mulled apple cider! Take 2-4 drops each of Thieves, Frankincense and Oregano Vitality oils to help with added support for your immune system. Rub a bit of Thieves on your gums to promote gum health.

Peppermint - This is another versatile oil used for many purposes, but it's a huge go-to for digestive system support! Rub a bit on your abdomen - you'll be glad you did! This is a "hot" oil, so if applying, it's best to use it with a carrier oil. Favorite tips?  When experiencing occasional head tension, put a bit of Peppermint Vitality oil on the pad of your right thumb, press your thumb to the roof of your mouth for about a minute, then release. Any discomfort you were feeling should be alleviated. On hot, summer days, apply a bit of Peppermint to the tips of your ears for an all-over, cooling effect. Take some deep breaths of Peppermint before exercising for an instant pick-me-up. Add 6-10 drops of Peppermint Vitality to your favorite brownie mix or fudge recipe and enjoy the minty goodness!

Cedarwood - This oil is nourishing for the skin and wonderfully relaxing. This and Lavender have been my go-to's for restful sleep for 5 years now. Favorite tips? Apply a bit of Cedarwood to the bottoms of your big toes at bedtime and sleep well! Not only can this oil be added to your mascara, it can be added to your favorite DIY skin care recipes and also promotes a healthy scalp. Mix 2-3 drops each of Cedarwood, Rosemary, Lavender, and Thyme with 3 ml of jojoba and 20 ml of grape seed oil. Massage into scalp daily. Alternatively, you can add the oils to water in a 2 oz spray bottle filled with water and spray onto scalp.

Valor - THIS is the oil that began our journey...my beloved, "desert island" oil that I refuse to EVER run out of...I hoard it! Wonderfully balancing, promoting of positivity, calming, confidence-building, and empowering for those who use it - diffuse it or apply it topically like perfume during the day; apply it to the bottoms of your big toes at bedtime. Favorite tips? I personally like to apply Valor topically, especially before a big event, meeting or presentation. I love to diffuse it for my kids after school, combining it with Thieves for great, overall support of their emotions and immune system after a long day. If I'm ever asked what my ONE, favorite oil is, VALOR IS IT!

Lavender
Item#: 3575D
Size: 15 ml
Wholesale Price: $24.25
Retail Price: $31.91
Promotion Price: $19.40
PV: 19.40

Thieves
Item# 3423D
Size: 15 ml
Wholesale Price: $34.75
Retail Price: $45.72
Promotion Price: $27.80
PV: 27.80

Peppermint
Item# 3614D
Size: 15 ml
Wholesale Price: $22.00
Retail Price: $28.95
Promotion Price: $17.60
PV: 17.60

Cedarwood
Item# 3509D
Size: 15 ml
Wholesale Price: $11.50
Retail Price: $15.13
Promotion Price: $9.20
PV: 9.20

Valor
Item# 3430D
Size: 5 ml
Wholesale Price: $39.75
Retail Price: $52.30
Promotion Price: $31.80
PV: 31.80

This month, the Young Living promos will have us ready to eat, drink, and be merry! They're all about food, gathering together with friends and family, and making sure our bodies and emotions are supported while we do it! Be sure to scroll down to see the full breakdown and learn some of our favorite uses for each!

Oregano has been cultivated for its wonderful flavor for over 3000 years and with its spicy, bold flavor, it is a tasty addition to many savory dishes when you are cooking for friends and family. Oregano Vitality is perfect to spice up a recipe or taken in a capsule with a carrier oil as an immune support. 

Cinnamon Bark is a favorite for diffusing during the Fall season: add it to your diffuser along with Nutmeg and Christmas Spirit and you've got yourself quite the party. 

Designed to be a comforting aroma during travel, AromaEase can help any road trip, boat ride, or air travel feel much more soothing and relaxing when diffused or used with V-6 oil and applied to your neck, shoulders or chest as you are on your way to visit your loved ones. It's also great to use when you feel like you have butterflies in your stomach prior to these family gatherings!

Thyme is a wonderful oil with many uses, including immune system support, and is believed to bring a sense of purpose when diffused, as well as being great for muscle support when applied topically after a strenuous game of flag football. 

Palo Santo is a soothing addition to any massage after activity, as well as providing a cleansing and refreshing atmosphere when diffused. 

We all know that this month will mean many, many trips to the bowl of treats sitting on our counter, so we need to keep our nutrition game on point to make up for all of that candy corn consumption! Multigreens is the perfect nutritional supplement for such an occasion. Made with spirulina, alfalfa sprouts, barley grass, bee pollen, eleuthero, Pacific kelp, and therapeutic-grade essential oils, its designed to boost vitality and support our glandular, nervous, and circulatory systems. Although, who says that candy doesn't do that? I certainly don't.

To round out these amazing promos, is the promotion-only, Seed to Seal Story Collection. This promo-exclusive oil collection includes 10-ml bottles of Lavender, Tea Tree, and Peppermint oils, with beautifully designed labels and an insert explaining the Seed to Seal process. Great to enjoy with Epsom salts and a diffuser for a perfect spa experience or to gift to a lucky friend!

100 PV:
Oregano Vitality 5-ml*

190 PV: 
AromaEase 5-ml
Cinnamon Bark 5-ml*
Oregano Vitality 5-ml*

250 PV
Thyme 15-ml
AromaEase 5-ml
Cinnamon Bark 5-ml*
Oregano Vitality 5-ml*

300 PV
MultiGreens 120ct
Palo Santo 5-ml
Thyme 15-ml
AromaEase 5-ml
Cinnamon Bark 5-ml*
Oregano Vitality 5-ml*

400 PV (Added tier this month!)
Seed to Seal Story Collection
MultiGreens 120ct
Palo Santo 5-ml
Thyme 15-ml
AromaEase 5-ml
Cinnamon Bark 5-ml*
Oregano Vitality 5-ml*

I get asked about using oils with pets a lot! If you don't have pets, I would be willing to be that you know others who do and how awesome would it be if you could offer them some natural solutions to help their furbabies thrive?

I'm going to break down a class I have on this topic, spreading it out over the next two-three weeks  Let's get to it!

Certain texts dating back hundreds of years reference using plant extracts on animals. Dr. Louis Sevelinge generally gets credited with developing veterinarian aromatherapy in the 1940s. In 1993, the French veterinarian Nelly Grosjean wrote the first book dedicated to the use of essential oils with animals.

While Dr. Louis Sevelinge and Nelly Grosjean get a lot of recognition in the “oils and animals" area, Caroline Ingraham began extensively studying the use of essential oils alongside veterinarians and developed the incredibly safe and effective method known nowadays as Applied Zoopharmacognosy . (Translation from Greek roots: animal-medicine-knowledge.) This method states that animals have an innate ability to know what they need for health.

How does Applied Zoopharmacognosy work? When working with essential oils, we use an animal's natural instinct and allow the animal to choose what products they prefer. This method is safe, effective, and simple, and it strengthens the bond between you and your animal.

What does this look like in practice? You allow the animal to choose by keeping the lid on the essential oil and let them smell it. Their "choice" or a positive sign looks like prolonged sniffing, interest, or even licking indicates they like the oil and it can be used.

Horses tend to respond very well to essential oils since they are herbivores and have metabolic pathways to break down most oils. They also tend to prefer the inhalation and licking methods used with oils.

Dogs also tend to prefer inhalation and licking methods.

Cats don't have metabolic pathways to break down most essential oils. Essential oils can still be safe to use. Be sure to let them choose their own oils. Cats are even more discerning than dogs. This means your cat will probably tell you exactly what he/she wants. If you have any concerns you can consult your veterinarian.

Err on the cautious side. Cats should have carrier oil dilution, around 8 drops of carrier oil to 1 drop of EO, and dogs under 25 pounds should have 5 drops of carrier oil to 1 drop of EO. You can always dilute further in the beginning.

LISTEN TO YOUR ANIMAL.

If you're diffusing or using oils for yourself while your pets are around, make sure there is an open door or window so they can leave.

Do you know any cat that will stay put when it doesn't like something going on? I didn't think so. With all the hype going around about essential oils and cats, I understand people are very sensitive and cautious. I'm glad you are!

The three most important things when being cautious on behalf of your pet while using oils are to check the QUALITY of oil (not all are created equal), let your pet CHOOSE, and provide an OUT.

Check out Young Living's Seed to Seal promise which enables you to know that you're getting the best oils on the planet!

Concerned about the safety of oils around your pets? Here are some helpful links:

Next week, we'll share some great furbaby recipes and practical ways to use oils with our pets! Be sure to check back then!